RUTLAND — At 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, Rutland firefighters responded to a reported fire at the Bardwell House, at 142 Merchants Row in downtown Rutland. The apartment building with about 75 units, was ablaze when they arrived. The fire started in a kitchen of a unit on the fourth floor of Bardwell House, Rutland Deputy Fire Chief Jim Miles has said. Four or five residents were taken to the hospital for unknown injuries, some of which is thought to be caused by smoke inhalation.
Sprinklers inside the building helped keep the fire at bay, but also caused water damage and slippery surfaces for residents trying to evacuate.
Saturday night, the American Red Cross provided support to 10-15 residents displaced by the fire. Since then most residents have returned.
